Technologically facilitated human augmentations are a popular topic in human-computer interaction, as they enable people to experience what it might feel like to have a superpower. However, such experiences may come with unforeseen costs to the user (e.g., reduced agency), often as a result of the technology possessing malicious interaction affordances, whether intended or unintended by the designer. Inspired by dark pattern research, which highlights the benefits of examining the negative tendencies of particular technologies, this research also draws on narratives from superhero fiction as an analytical lens. I investigate unfortunate superpower experiences - user experiences brought on through augmentation technologies that, while evoking experiences of having a superpower, are simultaneously paired with unpredictable or undesirable consequences.
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Exploring Human Augmentation Design Knowledge Through Unfortunate Superpower Experiences
This research investigates unfortunate superpower experiences - user experiences brought on through augmentation technologies that, while evoking experiences of having a superpower, are simultaneously paired with unpredictable or undesirable consequences and presents a design framework to help designers create future human augmentation systems that aim to preemptively alleviate the negative side effects of system design and use.